Stranding apparatus



Dec. 31, 1963 s, 535

STRANDING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 15. 1961 N 8 in 2 AN m N |KXMH U HHH U HUH a INVENTOR.

SIGMUND EGE n7. fl k United States Patent ()fiice Patented Dec. 31, 1963 3,115,742 STRANDING APPARATUS Sigmund Ege, Hastings on Hudson, N.Y., assignor to Anaconda Wire and Cable Company Filed Dec. 15, 1961, Ser. No. 159,723 2 Claims. (Cl. 57-15) My invention relates to cable stranding apparatus and particularly to an improvement in die means for such apparatus.

in the stranding of cables and the like the separated individual strands are brought together at some point in the apparatus at which point they are subjected to a twisting action that wraps them helically around each other to form a cable. At the point of twisting it is known to pass the strands through a forming die with an exit diameter approximately the diameter of the cable. This serves to make the twist uniform and to compress the cable into a tight structure.

Two general classes of stranding apparatus are known; the first where the strands rotate relative to the ground but the cable does not rotate and is taken up at a fixed station, and the second where the strands are payed from fixed stations but the cable and its take-up mechanism rotate. In the first type of apparatus it is customary to hold the die stationary and in the second type to rotate the forming die along with the cable relative to the strands. This not only has the advantage that the strands do not cut grooves in the die as they tend to do when the die rotates along with the strands so that each strand always rubs the same point of the die but it has been found to produce a superior compact strand compared to that produced when the die is rotated along with the strands but remains stationary with respect to the cable.

In the manufacture of cables it is also known to fill the valleys between the strands with fillers for the purpose among others of rounding out the contour and rendering the cable strand moisture tight. The fillers are usually supplied by means mounted on the stranding machine and are payed oif along with the strands. Due to the fact that the die is stationary while the strands rotate, if the fillers are payed into the same die as the strands, they tend, particularly if they have a pasty component with a high coefiicient of friction against the surface of the die, to leave the valleys between the strands and pile up two fillers into one valley and even to break because of jamming at the die orifice. #It is a feature of my invention to supply a second die coaxial and downstream of the first die and to introduce the strand fillers into the second die. Unlike the regular forming die my second die rotates with the strands (or in the case where the strands are stationary and the take-up rotates my second die is stationary with the strands).

Thus I have provided apparatus for forming a cable from a plurality :of strands comprising a first die, a second die downstream of the first die and means for providing relative rotary motion between the strands and the first die greater than any motion between the strands and the second die. An embodiment of my apparatus includes means for guiding a plurality of fillers into the second die and includes a die supporting frame and means for rotating the frame such as means for rigidly mounting the frame on the rotating mast of a stranding machine. My second die is rigidly mounted on the frame so as to rotate therewith with the first die being coaxially mounted between the mast and the second die. I have provided first gear means at a fixed station adjacent to the frame and second gear means to connect the first die to the first gear means and restrain the first die against rotation. Preferentially my second gear means is coaxial with and rigidly connected to the first die which is a forming die and I provide a shaft mounted on the frame connected to the second gear means and a gear means mounted at the fixed station to drive the shaft.

.A more thorough understanding of my invention may be gained by reference to the appended drawing.

in the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of an apparatus made to my invention, and

FIGURE 2 is a section through the line 2-2 of F-IG- URE 1.

The figures show the mast or foremast tubular extension 11 of a stranding machine the remainder of which is not shown. The stranding machine which may be a tubular strander of known type rotates a plurality such as six of wire strands 12 around a center wire strand 13 which advances rectilinearly forward to form a cable 14. In the illustrated case the cable 14 is a core for a waterproof cable and the center strand 13 is coated with pasty filler 15 that presses out and fills the interstices formed between the center strand 13 and the strands 12. A frame, indicated generally by the numeral 16 is comprised of three plates 17, 18 and 19 held together by a plurality of rods 20 and nuts 21. To the end plate 17 is fixed a stub shaft 22 by means of a weld 23.- The shaft 22 fits snugly into the strander extension 11 and is locked therein by means of set screws 24 so that the frame 16 rotates as an integral element of the strander. in addition to the strand 12 the strander also supplies a plurality of fillers 26 which are made to occupy the valleys formed by the strands. The plate 17 has a central opening 27 to accommodate the strand 13, a plurality of openings 28 for the strands 12 and an outer plurality of openings 29 for the fillers 26. Thus the plate 17 serves as a guide for both the strands .12 and the fillers 26. The plate 18 rigidly supports a bearing 31 in which is rotatably journalled a die holder 32 and a forming die 33 is locked in the die holder 32 by means 'of a set screw 34.

The plate 18 has another bearing 36 in alignment with a bearing 37 in the plate 19 rotatably supporting a shaft 38 to which are fixed sprocket wheels 39 and 40. The wheel 39 drives a sprocket wheel 41 by means of a chain 42. The sprocket 41 is locked to the die holder 31 so that the rotation of the shaft 38 relative tothe frame 16 tends to rotate the die 33 and, since the frame 16 is r'otating at the same speed as the strands 12 and fillers 26, there is relative motion between these strands 12 and the die 33. Absent this relative motion and I have found that increased tension builds up in the cable 14 and the excess of pasty fillers 15 is not properly removed. The sprocket wheel 46 is linked by means of a chain 43 to a sprocket wheel 44 which is fixedly mounted to a stub tube 46 supported by means of a stanchion 47 at the fixed station 48 adjacent to the frame 16. I prefer that the sprockets 39 and 40 should be equal in size and that the sprockets 41 and 44 should also be equal with the result that the die 33 will then be held stationary relative to the fixed stanchion 47 within the rotating frame 16. The plate 18 has a plurality of guide holes 49' equalling in number and aligned with the openings 29 in the plate 17. A die holder 51 is rigidly fixed to the plate 19 by means of a weld 52 and supports a die 53 which is locked in place by a set screw 54 and consequently rotates along with the frame 16.- The fillers 26 leaving the guide holes 49 pass directly into the die 53 where they are pressed into the valleys between the strands 12. In order to prevent whipping of the assembly 16 the plate 19 is welded to a bearing 56- and the stub tube 46 has an upstream extension 57 which is journalled in the bearing 56.

I have invented a new and useful apparatus for which I desire an award of Letters Patent.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for forming a cable comprising a die supporting frame, means for rigidly mounting said frame on a rotating stranding machine so as to rotate therewith, a first die and a second die, said second die being rigidly mounted on said frame so as to rotate therewith, said first die being coaxially mounted between said machine and said second die, first gear means at a fixed station adjacent to said frame, second gear means connecting said first die and said first gear means and restraining said first die against rotation.

2. Apparatus for forming and filling a cable comprising a plurality of strands and a plurality of fillers, said apparatus comprising a die supporting frame, means rigidly mounting said frame on the rotating mast of a stranding machine so as to rotate therewith, a cable filling References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,752,115 Sliter Mar. 25, 1930 

2. APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND FILLING A CABLE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF STRANDS AND A PLURALITY OF FILLERS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A DIE SUPPORTING FRAME, MEANS RIGIDLY MOUNTING SAID FRAME ON THE ROTATING MAST OF A STANDING MACHINE SO AS TO ROTATE THEREWITH, A CABLE FILLING DIE RIGIDLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME SO AS TO ROTATE THEREWITH, A CABLE FORMING DIE COAXIALLY MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID MAST AND SAID FILLING DIE, MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR GUIDING SAID STRANDS INTO SAID FORMING DIE, AND MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR GUIDING SAID FILLERS INTO SAID CABLE AT SAID FILLING DIE, COAXIAL GEAR MEANS RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO SAID FORMING DIE, A SHAFT MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME CONNECTED TO SAID GEAR MEANS, A FIXED GEAR-MOUNTING STATION EXTERNAL TO SAID FRAME, AND GEAR MEANS MOUNTED AT SAID STATION DRIVING SAID SHAFT. 